THE OLD ORDER CHANGES 



is passed, therefore I have attempted no reproduction of 

 Weathergage here. What could be done in this way has 

 been accomplished in Mr. Bradley's and Gillard's book, to 

 which reference has been made above. 



Frank Gillard will always be remembered by his success as 

 a hound-breeder. He thoroughly understood the principles 

 of the science, and left behind him a reputation for judicious 

 selection and combination of hereditary qualities. He had so 

 studied his hounds that if he wanted a particular quality he 

 knew where to go for it. Thus the Guardian-Needless family 

 were celebrated through Newsman for their power of carry- 

 ing a line down a road ; the Weathergage line for hard work, 

 drive, stoutness, and beautiful tongue, of which family Gambler 

 (1884) was, and Dexter is, the most famous representative. 



The late Duke took a keen interest in all that pertained to 

 his hounds, and had a room at the kennel where, seated on a 

 chair, with a rail round him to keep the hounds from him, 

 when he was crippled with the gout, he could look at the 

 entry and feel with pride that no other kennel could show 

 such make and shape, such necks and shoulders, such legs 

 and feet, or such rare quality and grand bone. Gillard, too, 

 was an excellent huntsman in the field. In his time was 

 started the hound van, with the pickaxe team, in which the 

 pack were taken to their more distant fixtures. The institu- 

 tion of the van enabled the pack to be reduced to sixty-two 

 couples for the five days a week they now hunted, and the 

 Ropsley kennels were given up. 



In the first year (i 870-1) of Gillard's time the Prince of 

 Wales was the guest of Sir Frederick Johnstone at Melton 

 Mowbray, and saw a capital run with the Belvoir from Hose 

 Gorse. The present Duke, then Lord John Manners, just 

 then out of office, found time to come down and enjoy some 

 hunting, being often mounted by Mr. Ferrand — a cheery old 

 gentleman, who was wont to cheer on the hounds from a 

 position far in the rear, and whose horses must have been 

 astonished when the future Postmaster-General sent them 

 along like the limited mail. Lord John Manners always 

 loved hunting, and gave as much time to it as he could spare 



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